1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a network management method for performing desired communication among data processing apparatuses in a network wherein a plurality of data processing apparatuses, for example, computers, are connected, an apparatus for the same, and a network system which can adequately perform such communication.
2. Description of the Related Art
Along with the development of data processing technology and communication technology, progress has been made in the construction of a network in which various data processing apparatuses are connected and information is used and various data processings are performed more effectively.
For example, progress has been made in the construction of an inter-network creating a large scale network by connecting a plurality of computer networks. Particularly, the so-called “Internet”, which is a global scale network using TCP/IP as a protocol, may be typical example of such a network.
In the Internet, an IP address and domain name are given to each node on the network. An IP address is an identification number of each data processing apparatus connected to the network and represented by 32 bits of integer. Further, a domain name is a name which enables differentiation of a node on the network by a symbolic name having meaning to the user and is given to each range of management of a network divided into such ranges. These IP address and domain name must not be duplicated on the network, that is, throughout the world, and are centrally managed by a network information center (NIC).
When performing communication with a desired node in such a space, a point-to-point physical connection is made via a router or the like.
Further, in recent years, cable television (CATV) systems have been rapidly growing. Video-on-demand (VOD) and other services provided in such CATV systems are services which are provided in an environment where two-way communication is possible. Such an allotter network now has a strong color as an information network.
Further, networks of various formats and various sizes are rapidly spreading such as with the construction of digital exchange networks and ISDN, the spread of mobile communication networks, and the start of satellite communication services.
In the networks mentioned before, however, there was the problem that there were numerous restrictions on the configuration or processing systems based on physical conditions, so it was very difficult to effectively realize various processings via the network.
First, all of such networks have a central centralized management system, thus must set the spatial information of the network in advance. For this reason, flexibility with respect to the configuration of the network is poor and, in addition, if the size of the network becomes large, there arises a problem that the management costs of the network space thereof becomes large.
More specifically, in for example the Internet as mentioned before, the IP addresses and the domain names are managed by the NIC. Therefore, when it is intended to newly add a data processing apparatus, a local network, or the like to the network, application must be made to the NIT for granting of the same, thus a node cannot be immediately and arbitrarily added.
On the other hand, demand for mobile computing has rapidly increased in recent years. There are now strong demands that the nodes be able to be dynamically added to the network.
Further, there was a demand that, together with flexibility with respect to the configuration of each network, the processing with respect to that network be able to be easily carried out by for example the logic name set by the application or the logical network configuration. Further, there has been a demand that high grade network processing such as, for example, the placement of a program module on each node on the network and the network wide distributed processing, be performed, but the current network management method could not answer such a demand.
Further, as mentioned before, irrespective of the spread of networks of various formats, usually connection is only possible by one route of one format. Comprehensive network utilization could not be achieved. For example, even when the Internet and the cable TV network are connected, they are merely connected in series and cannot be effectively utilized.